'Babar should be dropped from Tests'
Babar Azam's position in the Pakistan cricket team has come under heavy scrutiny, with cricketing icon Zaheer Abbas publicly calling for his removal from the squad due to a prolonged dip in form.
Zaheer, known as the "Asian Bradman" for his legendary batting prowess, voiced his opinion at the Cricket Predicta Conclave in Ajman, UAE, during the celebration of the international cricket talk show's hundredth episode.
"Babar Azam should be dropped from the team," he said at the event. "If he's not scoring runs, because if he's our main batsman and he's out of form, he should be out of the team."
The remarks come after Babar's string of low scores in Pakistan's recent Test series against Bangladesh, where he managed 0, 22, 11, and 31, leading to Pakistan's defeat in the series.
Adding to the pressure, Babar's name was recently dropped from the ICC top 10 rankings for batters for the first time in years.
The downturn in Babar's form has sparked wider discussions, especially after Pakistan's disappointing early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. Consecutive defeats to the USA and arch-rival India led to Pakistan's group-stage elimination, compounding the criticisms.
Reports suggest that Babar's role as white-ball captain is now under review, with speculation rife about his potential replacement ahead of the upcoming tour of Australia in November.
Zaheer also weighed in on the ongoing comparisons between Babar Azam and Indian superstar Virat Kohli, dismissing them as "baseless" given their current form.
"The comparisons are pointless, Virat Kohli scores in every match, the other player (Babar) doesn't score in any match, so then how can you compare? The person who scores, he is the bigger player," he said.
It is worth noting that the upcoming Test series against England is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, with the first Test scheduled to take place in Multan from October 7-11.
Shehzad urges PCB to nurture talent like Hasnain, Akif
Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has expressed his admiration for emerging pace talent Mohammad Hasnain, following the latter's impressive performance in the Champions One-Day Cup 2024.
In a recent discussion on a local news channel, Shehzad highlighted Hasnain's determination and self-reliance during his rehabilitation after an injury, noting that the young pacer bore the costs of his recovery himself, raising concerns about the lack of support from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
"Congratulations to Mohammad Hasnain. When he was injured, the PCB did not support him, and he handled his rehabilitation expenses himself. Wherever he went, he did everything on his own. He traveled to England and other places for treatment; all of this should have been managed by the PCB, especially for a player who has dedicated at least three years as a net bowler with the team," Shehzad remarked.
Despite a shaky start in the tournament, where Hasnain struggled with his bowling rhythm, Shehzad noted a significant improvement as the competition progressed. "In the first match, his bowling rhythm wasn't there, and his run-up was breaking at times. However, as the tournament progressed, not only did he take wickets, but he also bowled at a fast pace with a good rhythm," he said.
The opening batter further emphasized the importance of recognizing and nurturing talents like Hasnain, whose speed can reach up to 145 km/h.
"I have always raised my voice for Mohammad Hasnain; personally, I like him. Whenever you have a fast bowler, you need to protect and take care of him; otherwise, he won't be around for long. The situation is the same now; you are searching for a bowler, and you don't have one. He has shown his performance. Opportunities come when the time is right, so there is still a need to be cautious and protect bowlers like Mohammad Hasnain," he said.
In addition to Hasnain, the 32-year-old also praised Akif Javed for his exceptional bowling technique.
"There was a time when Akif Javed started representing Pakistan; he was very close, and his performances were strong, especially in red-ball cricket where his pace had improved significantly. However, he may have gotten injured, which caused him to fall a bit off the radar for the Pakistan team, and the management that wanted to bring him in also changed. Now he seems to be back in rhythm and looking fast," he said.